


That wasn't a quip.

by BarPurple



Series: BarPurple's House of Horror 2016 [3]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Cannibalism, Dark Castle, Dark Dark Rumple, F/M, very dark
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-03
Updated: 2017-04-02
Packaged: 2018-08-19 08:43:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,631
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8198689
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BarPurple/pseuds/BarPurple
Summary: The Dark One doesn't make jokes.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [belizafryler](https://archiveofourown.org/users/belizafryler/gifts).



“And you will skin the children I hunt for their pelts.”

Belle stumbled and dropped the cup in her hands. The Dark One cocked an eyebrow at her and frowned at the fallen teacup.

“Will that be a problem, dearie?”

Belle swallowed hard, his strange reptilian eyes were totally unreadable. She dipped her knees and scooped the teacup from the floor, her thumb pressed into the chip in the rim.

“You’re serious? You hunt and skin children?”

The Dark One twirled his hand.

“Of course, dearie, surely you have heard the stories,” he plucked at the stiff collar of his coat, “This isn’t dragon hide.”

The blood drained from Belle’s face, she felt lightheaded and had to grip the edge of the long table tight. Her thumb pressed into the sharp edge of the chipped cup, her skin broke under the pressure and began to bleed. Rumpelstiltskin leapt to his feet and crossed the space between them in a startling blink of an eye. He snatched the cup from her hand and wrapped his long fingers around her wrist; his grip forced her bleeding thumb to the level of his eyes.

“Tut tut dearie. You need to be more careful. It would not do for me to get a taste for my maid.”

Belle’s eyes widened.

“You eat the children?”

He tilted his head to one side and gave her a hideously gleeful grin. His eyes darted to the blood trickling down her thumb. A cold shiver ran over her skin as he licked his lips, his hunger for her vital fluid glowed within his bizarre eyes. His fingers tightened around her wrist to the point she hissed in pain. Her gasp made him shake his head and focus on her eyes.

“T’would be a waste not to,” His tongue swept over his crocked blackened teeth, “And there is so much raw power in the flesh of the young, although I prefer them cooked,” His eyebrows drew into a questioning frown, “You can cook can’t you dearie?”

She was almost certain she was going to faint. Images of her home, her family and friends flashed before her eyes. She had made this deal to save them all, she’d tried to be brave, to be the hero her people needed, not once had she expected her sacrifice would be pleasant, she cursed herself for ignoring the tales of the Beast. She ground her teeth together and forced steel into her spine.

“I can cook, but you will have to suffer a few poor meals until I learn to handle such unpalatable ingredients.”

Rumpelstiltskin twittered a giggle, and released her wrist. He clapped his hands together, he leaned forward, his lips curling into a snarl.

“Glad to hear it, little maid.”

He darted away from her and settled himself in his throne-like seat.

“I’ll take that tea now,” His finger wagged at her, “Not in the chipped cup if you please.”

Belle tossed the chipped cup on to the table and poured the tea into an unbroken cup. All the stories she had ever heard of the Dark One dance through her mind. Not one of them suggested that he could read minds, so she started plotting how she could save the children, it would be a risk to deceive him, but she’d set herself on the path of a hero and she wasn’t going to shy away from it now.


	2. Chapter 2

During Belle’s first three months in the Dark Castle Rumplestiltskin had eaten two babies. He brought them to her dead which was a small mercy, but she’d sobbed as she’d prepared each one for the pot, reciting the names of everyone in Avonlea she had saved by making this deal with the Dark One. When she’d served the second child she’d snapped out the question that had been on her mind from the start.

“Why must you eat children?”

Rage clouded his reptilian features and she was certain that he was going to kill her. It was futile to flee from a sorcerer in his own castle, so Belle held her ground and tried to show no fear as he rose from the table and advanced on her. He stopped inches from her face and hissed; “When you eat as I do, then you can question my meal choices, until then remember your place, dearie.”

He dismissed her with a wave of his clawed hand. It took all her courage to turn her back on him and walk slowly from the hall. Once she was in the relative safety of the kitchen her knees buckled and she muffled her sobs in her apron. In the moments she took to compose herself a plan began to form in her mind. The Dark One was famous for keeping his deals, if she accepted his terms she could save anymore children from ending up on his table. Her stomach rebelled at the very thought, but even as she vomited her breakfast into the slop pail she was plotting how to sneak into the library in order to discover everything she could about her master’s cannibal nature.

It took Belle two months and dozens of covert visits to the library to find what she was looking for; the single book on the Dark One that covered his wendigo aspect. The horrifically graphic woodcuts help to strengthen her stomach, and a small part of her was disturbed by how intrigued she was by the text. After another week she felt ready to make a second deal with the Dark One, and that meant she would have to share his meal.

Rumplestiltskin had dropped the body into the larder with the words; “Go easy on the wine, this one is pre-marinaded.” Belle had been surprised that she recognized the face; this was the Sheriff of Nottingham, a sot and a letch who Belle had had the misfortune to meet at a ball once. Her father had said the man would come to a bad end, although Maurice never could have foreseen that Nottingham would one day be on the menu for his darling daughter. Belle pushed all thoughts of her father from her mind and began to butcher the carcass.

The Dark One was drumming his claws on the table as she carried in the meal of former sheriff. He cocked his head and raised a questioning eyebrow when Belle set a place for herself.

“What’s this dearie?”

She took her time in filling the bowls with stew, making sure that the meat in hers was obvious.

“You said that I could question your meal choices if I ate the same as you. Did you mean that?”

He sat back in his chair and blinked at her.

“You would become a wendigo, a cannibal in order to stop me eating babes and children?”

“Yes.”

He didn’t take his eyes from her as he rose slowly to his feet, the hint of nervousness in his movements prevented Belle from flinching from him as he stepped up to her side and pulled out her chair. He invited her to sit with a bow of his head, the display of manners was surprising, but she took her place at the table with grace and a tight smile. He didn’t sit down again right away, instead he leaned over the back of her chair and whispered in her ear; “Are you sure you know what you are getting into, dearie?”

The feel of his breath on her neck sent a shiver down her spine, but her voice was steady when she replied; “Yes, I am.”

Rumplestiltskin twisted away and dropped himself into his chair, his fingers steepled under his chin as he scrutinized her. A smile spread across his face and one long finger pointed at her.

“You’ve been poking around in the library, little maid.”

There was no way for her to deny it; she saw no other living soul but him and he knew fine well that she’d not asked him any questions. She jutted her chin in defiance.

“I have. I wanted to be informed in my decision.”

A wistful look crossed his face and she just heard him said; “That must be nice,” but before she could question his meaning his impish countenance returned and he leaned forward planting his elbows on either side of his steaming bowl of stew.

“So, did you discover in your research that this is a forever deal? You can’t have a nibble and go back to beef or pork.”

“I know that.”

A tiny crease appeared between his brows; “And you accept that? You accept that you will become a raving mindless beast unless you eat human flesh?”

“I do.”

His frown deepened; “You’ll never die. You’ll be forever cursed to feed on people,” – Belle nodded – “You’ll, you’ll be like me.”

For the first time since she’d sat down Belle shook her head, “Not quite like you. I won’t have magic, and so far as I can tell that is what makes you sparkly.”

He snorted a laugh at her description of his skin.

“True enough, but magic can be learned with time, and you will have nothing but time.”

Belle had not considered that, learning magic offered a certain sweetness to this whole venture. She picked up her spoon and inhaled slowly, the aroma of cheap wine assaulted her nostrils, but did not deter her. She fixed her dining companion with a steady stare.

“If I do this we agree that no more babies of children will be eaten by either of us?”

Rumplestiltskin nodded slowly, “You have my word Belle.”

She dipped her spoon into the stew and chased a chunk of meat, without pausing to think any further on her choice she took her first taste of human flesh.


End file.
